Unveiling the Benefits of Awake Management in Veno-venous ECMO Patients.
Felix A. Rottmann and colleagues conducted a comprehensive study investigating the impact of maintaining awake status on patient outcomes, making a significant contribution to understanding patient management during venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-V ECMO). Their research, based on a retrospective analysis of a single-center V-V ECMO cohort, offers valuable insights into the association between sedation…
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Optimal Initiation of Cardiopulmonary Bypass: New Insights on Tissue Oxygenation Kinetics
Heart-lung machine (HLM) initiation during cardiac surgeries is a routine yet critical process. Despite its frequent application, more evidence-based guidelines need to be developed on the best method to start cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) to prevent cerebral ischemia. Dr. Jan Turra and his team have tackled this issue with a groundbreaking study comparing fast and slow…
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Cognitive Training Shows Promise in Cardiac Surgery Patients
A recent study led by Yu Jiang and colleagues in JAMA Network Open Journal investigates the potential of cognitive training to reduce postoperative delirium, a frequent and severe complication in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. The randomized clinical trial, conducted between April 2022 and May 2023 at three teaching hospitals in southeastern…
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ECPELLA: Enhancing Hemodynamics and Oxygen Delivery in Severe Cardiogenic Shock
A comprehensive simulation study by Hiroki Matsushita and colleagues investigates the impact of ECPELLA—a combination of veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) and the Impella left ventricular assist device—on hemodynamics and global oxygen delivery (DO2) in patients suffering from severe cardiogenic shock (CS) and acute respiratory failure. The study models systemic and pulmonary circulations using a…
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Innovative Use of ECMO and ECLS Devices: A Case Report
In a recent case report authored by Brock Daughtry et al., the innovative utilization of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and extracorporeal life support (ECLS) devices is showcased in the management of acute heart failure precipitated by severe mitral regurgitation secondary to COVID-19 pneumonia. The patient was stabilized and underwent open mitral valve replacement through a combination of venoarterial (VA) ECMO…
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An Investigation into The Use of Perioperative Selenium Administration to Reduce Postoperative Complications in Cardiac Surgery Patients
Researchers from the Dow University of Health Sciences (Department of Medicine) and Mayo Clinic–Rochester completed a meta-analysis of the role of selenium in lowering adverse cardiac surgery outcomes. The complete manuscript by Syeda Tayyaba Rehan, Hassan ul Hussain, Laiba Imran, Farea Eqbal, and Muhammad Sohaib Asghar is available in Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine. Below is a…
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Insights on Pioneering Pediatric Organ Donation.
A recent study was published in the Journal Frontiers (Frontiers in Transplantation). The author, J. Brierley, and colleagues present their groundbreaking study, “Normothermic regional perfusion in pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death—the Oxford position statement from ELPAT.” This research delves into normothermic regional perfusion (NRP) and its potential to transform pediatric organ transplantation. Brierley…
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Central ECMO Cannulation for Calcium Channel Blocker Overdose
Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine (Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Section of Cardiac Critical Care, Department of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, and Department of Pediatric Critical Care) and Children’s of Alabama (Department of Cardiovascular Perfusion and ECMO Clinical Coordinator) detailed the case of a 12-year-old with severe dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker…
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Challenges with Heart Transplants and Considerations for Facing Them
David A. Baran from the Cleveland Clinic Heart Vascular and Thoracic Institute, Section of Heart Failure, Transplant, and Mechanical Circulatory Support, discussed current challenges with heart transplantation and his suggestions for considerations to make when forging a way forward. The complete editorial comment by David A. Baran is available in the Journal of the American College…
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Management of Penetrating Cardiac Injury and Tricuspid Regurgitation With ECMO
In February 2024, researchers from Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine (Division of Cardiac Surgery, Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, and Department of Surgery) and University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine (Department of Medicine) detailed the case report of a 17-year-old gunshot survivor with injury of two cardiac chambers…
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Redo-TAVR Criteria for Patient Selection and Clinical Outcomes
Researchers from the Quebec Heart & Lung Institute at Laval University offered concepts to consider when selecting candidates for redo-TAVR and reviewed updated data on complication rates and clinical outcomes. Attilio Galhardo, Marisa Avvedimento, Siddhartha Mengi, and Josep Rodes-Cabau’s complete manuscript is available in the Journal of Clinical Medicine. Below is a summary of their review….
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Using Regional Anesthesia to Reduce Blood Loss in Isolated Limb Perfusion (ILP)
In October 2023, researchers from Helios Klinikum Berlin-Buch (Department of Orthopedic Oncology and Department of Anesthesiology), University Medicine Greifswald (Center for Orthopedics, Trauma Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine), Berlin Institute of Health (Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Center for Musculoskeletal Surgery, and BIH Charite Clinician Scientist Program), and Meso International GmbH compared total blood loss…
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